At first, everything in that foreign yet peaceful land seemed harmless to Skyler.
He survived by eating whatever he could find—mostly fruit, though it was often dry and tasteless, along with anything edible, such as flowers, leaves, and roots, that he believed was safe. Every now and then, he would discover berries or a water source.
Those were the days that felt like a feast, for finding water in that lonely place was the hardest part. Whenever he found some, he would greedily drink his fill before taking the opportunity to bathe and wash away the dirt that had accumulated over the days.
Still... despite feeling safe beneath the towering trees, Skyler could feel his mind slowly wearing down. With each passing day, the silence grew heavier, and negative thoughts quietly crept into his heart. Even his body was slowly beginning to weaken.
And the problem was psychological.
